Lerner's Driver

Great second half with some lovely interplay. Couthino definitely brought the edge. All of a sudden we looked dangerous. Beautiful.

Better last ten, but we need an early goal in the second half to have a chance of a point. Not looking likely. Digne looks decent going forward and less good defending, could score and get sent off on his debut. Will it be four losses in a row? Everton are due a win.

Freudian slip?

Manchester United have scored the opening goal in 33 Premier League games against Aston Villa, winning 32 and drawing one of those matches. It's the most a team has opened the scoring without losing against a side in the competition's history...

An unambiguous He/Him, then. Did he email you?

And lost.

Usual for us. Good try. Not good enough. Third loss in a row.

It's a shit combination, like being verbally teased by a beautiful woman who turns out to be a yanker.

We've pressed well and created some decent chances, but I'm getting tired of this good effort and still losing malarkey. Again, our final pass is often the wrong one. Same against Brentford. We lack the killer instinct. Can't work out if it's because we just aren't good enough technically, or something else. Their goal was pathetic.

No fans can make you feel like a world beater. He can't take the pressure.

Playing like a man who knows he's about to lose his place.

Play from 1.04... https://youtu.be/6W2bLbO3RkI

No idea who Farley is, but agree, it can be surprising who and what we find funny. Some people on here are really whacked out.

Noun: Stalking Horse 1. Person or thing that is used to conceal another person's real intentions. Stevie to Philipe when he opts for top four security over the thrill of possibly flirting with relegation... "You know what, we're done. You've just used me as a stalking horse to get to Mikel"

Okay, that's good to know.

Our decision making near the goal is woeful - all too often ponderous and inaccurate. If we had a bit more quality in attack we would have won that easily. Shouldn't have lost it, but you just knew we would. Same old Villa. Our wingers are all trash.

Good player and on his day very good, but... he isn't consistent enough to be considered a bona fide excellent player. People said Smith can't take us to the next level and then Gerrard came came along and lifted us. There are better gettable centre backs out there than Tyrone. Mings can be replaced and must be at some point in the not too distant future if we are to get to the next level. He's been a great servant and will continue to be for as as long as he's here, but I won't be sad when he goes. We've seen his limitations enough to know his level.

All the stuff about work rate and 'being available in tight spaces', to me sounds basic. He should be doing this stuff (especially in a Gerrard team), as a matter of course. My original comment asked for evidence of standout contributions. We bought him to be the kind of player he was at Norwich last season, showing performances that would ultimately earn him a call up to the Argentina squad. Sure, that was a different team in a different league, which affords him some time to adjust at Villa, but we aren't seeing anything close to the hoped for levels, yet. Based on what he has shown before, I was hoping for more game changing skills, feints, dummies and threaded passes like the one that put El Ghazi in, before he set up McGinn for his pearler against Palace. That is a standout contribution for a player with his ability and role in the team. We need more of these. Can he still come good? Yes, he can and I hope he does. The questions about him are challenging, but fair. My main concerns relate to his stature and the amount of time he seems to want on the ball, which you just don't get in the Premier League.

What did he do to merit the praise? I can't remember any standout contributions.

Norwich were woeful. We totally dominated, but I was still worried we might throw it away. Annoying that we didn't kill it earlier. Some excellent close passing and movement throughout so that was a major plus. Buendia still looks off it. Watkins poor again apart from the goal. Ramsey MoM.

What does pride come before?

No sorry, I can't give you a break your viewpoint is unrealistic. Again.

What a ridiculous opinion. There isn't a single watcher of Premier League football who sincerely thinks we should be close to Liverpool right now, but that is what you have just implied. Why?

Refusing to understand is his m.o. mate.

You know all that stoppage time, kitchen sink stuff where we were pouring forward and were lucky not to concede a second? If we'd taken anything like that approach earlier in the game it could have been over by half time. They are the best team in the league. You may not think it correct to respect the opposition, but Gerrard did and I suspect he knows best.